Cabinet construction



Nov. 1, 1955 R. M. PERRIN CABINET CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2, 1951 RAYMOND M. PERRIN 3 052:. 1i l My 0 attorney Nov. 1, 1955 R. M. PERRIN 2,722,468

CABINET CONSTRUCTION Filed March 2, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 t k 44 52 E 4 h \g 4 I 43 l7 '45 49 '6 g I 48 l2 49 5/ I5 4 r 22 Inventor l7 RAYMOND M. PERRIN 6 11 MM/M (Ittorneg United States Patent )fifice 2,722,468 Patented Nov- 1, 195.5

CABINET CONSTRUCTION Raymond M. Perrin, Portland, Oreg. Application March 2, 1951, Serial No. 213,624

3 Claims. (Cl. 312257) This invention relates to an improved cabinet construction.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved form of cabinet construction for knock-down cabinets, whereby all the parts necessary are light in weight and can be shipped to the user in a compact, flatpackage.

Another object is to provide a cabinet whichis constructed of a number of identical parts and which is easy to assemble by the average person with a screw driver.

Another object is to provide acabinet which is of sturdy construction when assembled and which is economical to manufacture.

Still another object is to provide an improved fastening means and arrangement utilizing a plurality of small corner brackets for drawing the parts together in tight fitting relation when assembled by the user.

The above and. still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of an assembled twodoor cabinet illustrating the construction of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of another two-door cabinet which requires a minimum number of parts;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the invention showing the wall panels and top frame members in disassembled relation;

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a single door cabinet embodying the features of the invention;

Figure 5 is-a section taken on the line:5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is aperspective view of the corner bracket construction;

Figure 7 is a section of the bracket .taken .on the line 77 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a section througha corner-of the assembled cabinet showing oneof the brackets secured to the corner frame member and the enclosing walls; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective viewshowinga corner construction.

The present invention is intended primarily for portable wardrobe cabinets, laundry drying cabinets, and other cabinets to enable them to be shipped in knocked down form as a fiat package and later assembled by an unskilled person. If thecabinet is usedas-a clothes dryer suitable heating and ventilating .means .could be provided. The only tool required in the assembly is a screw driver and in .assembled condition the construction produces a sturdy and attractive cabinet which is substantially moth tight.

The cabinet comprises grooved rails and posts to rece'ive plywoodor hardboard-panels which form 'the'enclosing walls .of the cabinet. The parts'are held firmly in 'assembled relation solely by corner brackets which .are secured to the rails and posts and the wall panels of the cabinet by screws. The rails and posts have flat surfaces n h r in i r or rs fo ming angles of 45 eg ee with the adjacent wall panels, the corner brackets extending parallel to said flat surfaces and being secured to the corner members by wood screws which are arranged ,to pull the parts together into tight fitting relation regardless of dimensional tolerances which would otherwise result badly fitting joints.

As shown in perspective in Figure 1 and in disasse bled relation in Figure 3, the cabinet comprises essentially upper rail members 10 and 11 which are miteredat the corners to form a neat joint. The bottom rails .of the cabinet are designated by the numerals 12 and 13 and are .of the same size and length as the top rail members 10 and 11 and are similarly mitered. Disposed between the top and bottom frames are vertical "1308138 14 at each corner, the corner posts and top and bottom frame members con ,stituting the essential frame of the cabinet. The vertical posts 14 have square cut ends and merely seat between the top and bottom frame members. 7

As best seen in Figures 8 and 9, each of the rails and posts has longitudinal grooves 15 and 16 in two of the side surfaces. The rails and posts are also preferably provided with a flat beveled dg 17 on one of the corners." When the cabinet is assembled, the beveled edge 17 ,of the rails and posts is disposed so as to be turned inwardly of the cabinet as shown. Wall panels 20 and top and bottom panels 21 and 22, respectively, fill the side and rear areas between the frame members and fit snugly in the grooves 15 and 16 of the rails and posts. The wall panels may be made from plywood or hardboard, or of other material 7 possessing sufiicient strength and yet being of light weight to reduce the cost .of shipping, ,the grooves being of predetermined width depending o the thickness of wall panel used.

In the embodiment of Figure 1, the cabinet is provided with door posts 25 and 26 .on which doors 27 and 28 are hinged. The posts 25 and 26 each has a grooye 29, Figure 9, on the edge facing {the adjacent corner post and has short grooves 30 and 31, respectively, Figure 3, of a predetermined length adjacent the upper and lower ends. The door posts are provided on their ends with 1tenons 32, and these tenons fit in the grooves 15 of the horizontal rails of the top and bottom ,frame members. Disposed between the front corner posts 14 and the door posts 25 and 26 and fitting snugly in the grooves are narrow panels 33. The panels 33 .are of such length as to also fit into the grooves of the top and bottom rails 10 and 12. Upper and lower transverse auxiliary rails 34 and 35 extend between the door posts 25 and 26 and have tenons .36 on their ends which are adapted to fit in the grooves 30 and 3 1. The transverse rails 34 and 35 are also provided with longitudinal grooves on one edge to receive narrow transverse panels 39 and 40, respectively. The ends of transverse panels 39 and .40' fit in the grooves 30 and 310i the door posts .25 and 26. The cabinet maybe raised from the floor by a base frame 41 if desired. An additional vertical frame member 42 may be provided at the rear of .the cabinet and has longitudinal grooves to receive the rear wall panels 20 :to reinforce the panels.

The entire structure is held together as an integral unit by brackets 43, Figure .6. The brackets comprise a body portion 44 havingend portions 45 bent at a 45 degree angle so that the bracket can be secured across the right-angular corners of the cabinet. An aperture .46 is provided centrally of the bracket, and each of the angular, end portions is also provided with an aperture 47. Encompassing each of the apertures 47 is an annular ridge 48 formed when the bracket is stampedfrom' metal plate. The ridges 48 serve to reinforce the angular portions from stresses imposed thereon while secured .to' the cabinet and while assembling the cabinet. Ridges 49 are also formed in the body portion 44 of the bracket for reinforcing the same, thus providing a rugged but inexpensive and light-weight bracket.

In the novel assembly of the cabinet, the intermediate panels arefitted in the grooves of the frame members, and the whole unit is held in assembled relation by the brackets 43 mounted in the corners of the cabinet. As seen in Figures 5, 8, and 9, the brackets are secured to the wall panels by metal screws 52 which are inserted through suitable holes in the wall panels and engage the holes 47 of the brackets. The holes 47 are of such smaller size in diameter in relation to the metal screws 52 that the screws cut their own threads in the wall of the hole 47 and are firmly secured thereto.

Wood screws 53 extend through the holes 46 of the brackets and threadedly engage the interiorly disposed flat portion 17 of the rails and posts. The brackets may be of such length that when fastened to the wall panels by the metal screws 52, they are spaced a short distance from the surface 17 of the frame member. By such construction, if the wall panels are not fitted tightly into their respective grooves in the frame members when the cabinet is first loosely assembled, the inward pressure of the screw 53 against the bracket 44 will pull the parts together in a tight fitting relation, seating the wall panels firmly in the grooves of the frame members.

The grooves 30 extend along the edges of each of the door posts 25 and 26 a distance equal to the height of the panel 39 and auxiliary rail 34, and the rail 34 is held firmly against the lower end of the groove when the cabinet is assembled. Auxiliary rail 35 on the lower part of the cabinet is similarly held. Also, the auxiliary rails 34 and 35 are of a predetermined length to hold the posts 25 and 26 firmly in place against the narrow panels 33. It is, therefore, not necessary to apply brackets to the door posts 25 and 26 and the auxiliary rails 34 and 35 as such members are held in locked position.

The doors 27 and 28 may be panel doors as shown and are hinged to the door posts 25 and 26 by suitable hinges.

Figure 2 shows a simplified construction of the two- 1 door cabinet wherein the transverse rails 34 and 35 as disclosed in Figure l are omitted. As seen in Figure 9 filler strips 54 which fit tightly into the grooves 15 of the rails are provided in this embodiment to fill the grooves in the top and bottom rails 12 which extend between the door posts, to make the surfaces adjacent the door more attractive and these filler strips also serve the function of holding the door posts 25 and 26 firmly against the narrow panels 33.

The construction of the cabinet, as shown in Figure 4, is similar to Figure 1 but of smaller size and employing a single, door.

It will thereby be seen that a cabinet is provided which comprises a minimum number of parts, and that many of the parts are of identical dimension to facilitate easy assembly. The structure can be shipped in disassembled relation in a flat and compact package in readiness to be assembled by the ultimate user. The holes in the wall panels or door posts are preferably located and drilled during manufacture, and the person assembling the cabinet need only employ a screw driver to assemble the whole unit. The unit when assembled constitutes a rigid construction, and yet may be disassembled if necessary. In case the joints should become loose from shrinkage or other causes, they may be pulled up tightly again by simply tightening the corner screws 53. Rigidity is achieved primarily by the seating of the panel edges in the bottoms of the grooves in the rails and posts, the screws merely holding the parts in assembled relation.

It is to be understood that the invention may take other forms and is not to be limited to the exact details of construction which are shown, for changes and modifications will readily occur to persons skilled in the art.

Having now described my invention and in what mans ner the same may be used, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: i

1. In a cabinet, a corner construction comprising a vertical post and two horizontal rails, said rails and post having longitudinal grooves on two side surfaces adapted to receive wall panels therein and having a beveled edge between the grooved surfaces, a first wall panel seated in said grooves in said two rails, a second wall panel seated in said grooves in siad post and one of said rails, a third wall panel seated in said grooves in said post and the other rail, brackets extending across said beveled edges of said post and rails, each bracket having an apertured body portion extending parallel to said beveled edge, a wood screw extending through said bracket and into said beveled edge, apertured end portions on said bracket disposed at an angle of 45 degrees from said body portion, and metal screws extending through said wall panels and engaging said apertured end portions of the brackets, one of said brackets thus connecting together said one rail and said first and second panels, another of said brackets similarly connecting together said other rail and said first and third panels, and another of said brackets similarly connecting together said post and said second and third panels.

2. In a cabinet construction, a frame comprising horizontal rails and vertical posts, said rails and posts having longitudinal grooves in two surfaces thereof, wall panels fitted in said grooves to fill the areas between said frame members, said wall panels having holes therein, and bracket members, said brackets each having a body portion provided with a central aperture and angular end portions extending from said body portion at an angle of 45 degrees, said end portions also being provided with apertures, said brackets extending across the right-angular corners of the cabinet and being secured to the cabinet by a wood screw extending through said central aperture and into said frame member, and metal screws extending through said holes in said wall panels and secured in said end portions of said brackets by cutting threads in the peripheries of said apertures, certain of said brackets thus connecting said posts with the wall panels fitted therein and other of said brackets similarly connecting said rails with the panels fitted there- 3. In a cabinet, a corner construction comprising a vertical post and horizontal rails, said rails and post having longitudinal grooves on two side surfaces adapted to receive wall panels therein and having a beveled edge between the grooved surfaces, and brackets extending across said corner, said brackets each having apertured end portions and an apertured body portion, said end portions being secured to said wall panels by screws extending through said wall panels and engaging said apertures, said body portion extending parallel to said beveled edge and spaced therefrom and being secured thereto by a wood screw engaging said body portion and said beveled edge in spaced relation, the space between said bracket and said beveled edge being diminished as said screw is tightened to pull said wall panels into firm engagement with said rails and post, certain of said brackets thus connecting said posts with the wall panels fitted therein and other of said brackets similarly connecting said rails with the panels fitted therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 313,295 Beach Mar. 3, 1885 335,014 Campbell Jan. 26, 1886 1,631,718 Campbell June 7, 1927 1,859,799 Rix' May 24, 1932 1,868,573 Herman July 26, 1932 2,058,263 Rosendale Oct. 20, 1936 2,249,344 Blechman July 15, 1941 2,355,541 .Lew Aug. 8, 1944 

